Yesterday, I got an email from a friend letting me know that the Grand Rapids Latin American Film Festival (GRLAFF) will be an online festival this year. Originally planned for April, understandably, GRLAFF had to postpone their 10th annual Festival due to rising safety concerns surrounding the contagious virus (COVID-19) that has quickly caused a global pandemic. Michigan went into lockdown and plans to fill seats in theatres were cancelled.
GRLAFF adapted and film festivities will run from September 15 – October 15 of 2020, which is Hispanic Heritage Month. Hopefully, this means more participants, who were once too far away (like me!), may finally have the chance to watch excellent cinematography and meet some of the directors. Make sure to sign up for the newsletter or contact the committee directly to receive links to view these films. All shows will be starting at 8 pm, so make sure to have a pillow and the lights dimmed. Angst-ridden themes of humanity that stir up dinner conversations for days will flash before your eyes starting the 15th. So please, prepare tissues. Please note: These films will be played in their own languages but they will have English-subtitles below. Suggested audiences are adults and young adults above the age of 13.
You can visit their website for more information: grlaff.org